The Negotiator (1998)
82%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 6 nominations
The Negotiator’s battle of wits doesn’t wholly justify its excessive length, but confident direction by F. Gary Gray and formidable performances makes this a situation audiences won’t mind being hostage to
The Negotiator” brings together two of the greatest actors of our time, Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson, in a thrilling cop drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat. While some critics may find it overwrought and lacking in common sense, I found it to be a damn good time. The battle of wits between Spacey and Jackson is nothing short of intriguing, and the excitement and suspense will have you hooked from start to finish. Sure, it may contain some formulaic elements, but who cares when you have two powerhouse actors delivering some of the best declarations you’ll ever hear? This is a movie I’d gladly stop channel surfing for on late-night television.
Production Company(ies)
Norma Productions, Curtleigh Productions, Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Home Vídeo
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence and language
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTS-Stereo
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 18m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 29, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 1998
Genre(s)
Drama/Crime
Keyword(s)
starring Samuel L Jackson, Kevin Spacey, David Morse, Ron Rifkin, John Spencer, J.T Walsh, Paul Giamatti, directed by F Gary Gray, written by James DeMonaco, Kevin Fox, produced by Arnon Milchan, David Hoberman, Drama, Crime, Mystery & Thriller, R rating, box office gross $44.7M, budget unknown, reviewed by Emanuel Levy, Janet Maslin, Charles Taylor, Mick LaSalle, James Berardinelli, Roger Ebert, Kevin Carr, Peter Canavese, Michael Dequina, actors, police, hostage negotiator, Chicago, embezzlement, disability fund, murder, internal affairs, investigator, gun, hostage, stand-off, battle of wits, corruption, departmental corruption, nail-biter, thriller, action, suspense, twists, power plays
Worldwide gross: $44,547,681
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,751,276
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,115
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,915,079
US/Canada gross: $44,547,681
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,751,276
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 848
US/Canada opening weekend: $10,218,831
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $18,752,996
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 692
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $50,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $91,757,050
Production budget ranking: 449
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $49,411,172
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$59,416,946
ROI to date (est.): -42%
ROI ranking: 1,632
Kevin Spacey – Lt. Chris Sabian
David Morse – Cmdr. Adam Beck
Ron Rifkin – Cmdr. Grant Frost
John Spencer – Chief Al Travis
J.T. Walsh – Insp. Terence Niebaum
Director – F. Gary Gray
Producers – Arnon Milchan, David Hoberman
Writers – James DeMonaco, Kevin Fox
Director(s)
F. Gary Gray
Writer(s)
James DeMonaco, Kevin Fox
Producer(s)
Arnon Milchan, David Hoberman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (57) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (15)
Teaming for the first time Kevin Spacey and Samuel Jackson, arguably the two best actors of their generation, in perfectly fitting roles is a shrewd move and the best element of this fact-inspired but overwrought thriller
September 11, 2006 | Rating: B-
Emanuel Levy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
ike Mr. Jackson, Mr. Spacey cuts an impressively cryptic figure even when dealing in platitudes, and the two stars do get to make the sort of declarations that rarely crop up in everyday life.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
“The Negotiator” slogs on for two hours and 20 minutes, and there’s hardly a real laugh or a genuine thrill in it.
January 1, 2000
Charles Taylor
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
To the extent the setup allows Spacey and Jackson to go head to head, it’s a good thing. But there are other elements in the film that aren’t nearly as interesting or satisfying.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
The Negotiator deserves a place among the best action/thrillers of the year. This is a Dog Day Afternoon for the ’90s.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
The movie’s a thriller that really hums along, and I was intensely involved almost all the way. Only now, typing up my notes, do I fully realize how many formula elements it contains.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
A big, dumb, lumbering cop thriller that works through a very familiar, very basic formula, very, very slowly indeed.
July 28, 2020 | Rating: 2/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
It’s not perfect, but it’s enjoyable enough to be one of those movies I might stop channel surfing to watch on late-night television.
June 27, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/5
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures
This highly incredible story lives and dies on its leading performances, so it’s a damn good thing someone hired Jackson and Spacey to go toe to toe. [Blu-ray]
February 17, 2010 | Rating: 2.5/4
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews
…may lack a certain degree of common sense but makes up for it with plenty of excitement and suspense.
November 10, 2009 | Rating: 7/10
John J. Puccio
Movie Metropolis
What makes this talk-heavy actioner work is the intriguing battle of wits between two formidable, intelligent opponents.
April 2, 2009 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
A boring script filmed by a fine director and great actors is still a boring script.
August 25, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com…
Plot
In the midst of an elaborate conspiracy, an expert negotiator is driven to the edge when he’s framed for the murder of his partner, as well as embezzling money from his department’s pension fund. His only chance to prove his innocence is to take hostages himself, acquire the services of another expert negotiator, and find out who’s running the conspiracy before it’s too late.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey, two of the best actors of their generation.
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